Screen Recording is a helpful way to directly record video footage from your screen and share it with your viewers. If you’re a content creator, you will love how you can engage viewers more, whether you are making videos or want to make your articles more informative.
The Top 14 Hacks when Screen Recording as a Content Creator
Before you create your first screen recording, these 14 hacks will help you master the art of screen recording.
1. Chalk out a plan
It’s very vital to have an outline before you record your first video. Or else, you might end up rambling. A rough script would guide you through and enhance the content quality.
The script can be detailed or in bullet points, or any other format that help you stay focused during the recording. Just be on point and avoid the “ums” and “ahs”.
2. Decide the length of the recording
Viewers can quickly lose interest in videos if they are unnecessarily long. Nowadays, viewer’s engagement can drop off the cliff after barely 3-4 minutes. Make sure to keep them to the point and crisp for better engagement.
If you want to record longer videos, ensure the quality of the content is top-notch. Include just the relevant facts, and your video would be as short as required.
3. Clean up the background applications
One of the advantages of screen recording is that it records everything you operate on screen. Be it online classes, webinars, live game streams.
The drawback of recording your screen is, it can accidentally record unnecessary pop-ups and notifications.
Ensure to clear up the background data before you start recording. This would make the process much smoother.
4. Invest in a good microphone
It’s important to convey your content to the users with clarity. Sadly, the inbuilt microphones in the desktops don’t serve the purpose. The audio quality of such screen recordings is inferior.
The good news is that you do not require to invest a fortune for a good quality microphone. A simple USB headset with an in-built microphone will do the job.
Find some of the best microphones given below:-
5. Make use of annotation tools
Sometimes it gets challenging to demonstrate content through screen recordings. Here is where annotation tools come to the rescue.
Get more viewer engagement by annotating your computer screen. You can highlight the cursor, draw or insert shapes, zoom in and out to keep the viewers engaged.
6. Ensure your webcam is positioned correctly
Don’t assume that your audience would be only interested in watching the e-content. Proper demonstration with eye contact is equally vital.
Ensure your webcam is placed correctly so that the viewers can understand the gist of the demonstration through your gestures. This results in the reliability of the content, which again boosts engagement.
Pay attention to your background, clear up space as required. You can also use the green screen option to replace the actual background with a virtual one.
7. Watch out the cursor
The cursor is the backbone of every screen recording. It guides viewers through the demonstrations or any video.
It ensures that they follow along with every point you discuss during the video. The mouse cursor is vital, so make sure it’s as efficient as possible.
Following are the points to remember while moving your cursor:-
- Do not rush up- People can often lose track if you move your cursor at the speed of light. Remember, the mouse cursor is the key to your screen recording. Do not hurry up, or else people would stop following your video.
- Do not circle the cursor- Moving your mouse in circles might leave your viewers confused and struggling to follow up. Instead, move the cursor point to point, as and when required.
8. Zoom in through the recording
If you are recording a website with small fonts, do not forget to zoom in. Your viewers will thank you.
It is often assumed that people would watch the videos on full screen. Well, that is not the case always. So, you need to enlarge the fonts or zoom through the screen while you record the screen.
9. Cut out the unnecessary parts of the recording
Sometimes, there can be interruptions while recording your desktop screen. Like, the cursor getting stuck, unwanted pop ups and notifications or accidentally clicking on the wrong file. These interruptions can get automatically recorded, making the video unnecessarily long.
Don’t worry! These bugs can be fixed. Use a video editor to cut out these parts and shorten the video. Many screen recorder software come with in-built video editors.
10. Test the screen recording software.
5 minutes into the screen recording and you realize the audio was not picked. To avoid such circumstances, install a trust worthy screen recording software.
Do a trial run for a good minute to ensure good audio and video quality. Always rely on the advanced version of the software which provides access to full range of features.
11. Add a second monitor to the recording
If you want to capture a bigger screen area while retaining the controls over the recording, we suggest, add a second monitor to the recording.
This way the other notes and content resources you don’t want to show will not reflect upon the screen.
12.Convey to the viewers the points you will cover
Before you get to the body of the content, give the viewers the outline of your presentation. This will enable them to get oriented and have a fair idea of what they signed up.
This will ensure minimal confusion and struggles while following the demonstration.
13.Record or resize video with standard dimensions
We all know different video platforms have different dimension requirements. People usually consider 480p and 780p as the desired dimensions.
Make sure that the recording corresponds to these standard dimensions so that it displays correctly on host platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
In case you forget to record the screen with standard dimensions. Don’t worry! This screen recorder for Mac and Windows has the option to resize the video even after recording.
14.End the video with a crisp summary
Long videos with vast content can be pretty challenging to retain. We always recommend tweaking a short and crisp summary at the end. This is a sign of a good content creator.
It will help people recapitulate what they learned through the session and not just the beginning and end—making your presentation more effective.
Screen recording is much more than just helping you record important things. You can use it as a content creator to help you do much more than you thought possible. Engage with your viewers and give them insights that you couldn’t otherwise.
